1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a clamp apparatus for connecting two pipes, and more particularly to a clamp apparatus having a spring wire that biases the clamp apparatus towards either an open or closed attitude.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many different methods are known for coupling together pipes. It is particularly known to provide pipes having flanges at their end, and to use a clamp to join the pipes together by clamping the two flanges together. Various clamps similar to the clamp used in the present invention have been well known in the art for years. A variety of patents disclose improved features for this well known clamp structure. Kiekhaefer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,689,141, discloses a lever that makes the ring clamp adjustable in diameter. Other improvement patents include the following: Takahashi, U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,850 (quick release coupling device); Krzesicki, U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,542 (safety coupling clamp); Peacock, U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,717 (toggle clamp); and Schoeffler, U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,190 (breakaway conductor pipe).
Users of this basic clamp have all encountered a common difficulty. It is difficult for one person to hold the two pipes together, and hold the clamp closed around the ends of the pipes, while also screwing the rocking nut down the rocking bolt to lock the clamp closed. Fiori, U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,284, discloses the state of the art clamp that attempts to solve this problem. The Fiori clamp uses two gripping levers biased apart with a coil spring to bias the clamp closed. While this eases the problem of assembly, it creates several new problems. First, a tool is needed to open the clamp. Second, there is no convenient method of keeping the clamp open for positioning the clamp around the proper pipes. Third, the gripping levers protrude and sometimes will not fit into the confined spaces through which the pipes run. Fourth, the coil spring required by the clamp is difficult to clean. Since these clamps are often used in locations where exacting standards of cleanliness are required, these coil springs are often not acceptable.
The prior art teaches a clamping apparatus that is biased closed with a coil spring acting upon two gripping levers. However, the prior art does not teach a clamping apparatus that is biased to either an open or closed attitude, depending upon the attitude of the clamping apparatus. The prior art also does not teach a clamping apparatus that uses a spring wire, rather than a coil spring, the spring wire being much easier to clean and maintain. Finally, the prior art does not teach a clamping apparatus that provides the desired positioning bias without requiring additional protruding elements, such as the gripping levers described above. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.